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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26381356">Call of the Night</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizardbeth/pseuds/Lizardbeth'>Lizardbeth</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Vampire the Masquerade Fusion, F/M, Odin (Marvel)'s Parenting, Sifki Week 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:54:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,037</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26381356</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizardbeth/pseuds/Lizardbeth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sif is sent to find Loki, who disobeyed an order of his king.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Loki/Sif (Marvel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>68</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Loki Bingo 2020-2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Call of the Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Wrote this for both Sifki Week and my Loki Bingo (Supernatural AU) square - two birds one stone, woot! </p>
<p>Also this is my annual Birthday Fic, where I give a present on my birthday (because I'm a hobbit, apparently).</p>
<p>This is based on the vampire clans from Vampire the Masquerade, just to acknowledge where it comes from, but it's not necessary to know anything about the system for this.</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/>
<p>Midnight. Odin entered the room and the doors shut. Everyone in the room stood for the Head of the Aesir clan and King of the city. All of the Kin acknowledged his rule over their kind, because he was the most powerful, both in vampiric gifts and in temporal wealth.</p>
<p>All the clans had been ordered to attend the Conclave meeting, except, as he told everyone to sit and took his place at the end of the long oval table, one chair remained empty. Odin noticed, and pinned a one-eyed glare on Thor. "Where is your brother?"</p>
<p>Thor looked across from him as if he'd only just noticed the empty seat. "Um. I haven't talked to him in days."</p>
<p>Odin snapped his fingers and pointed to Sif, as one of his guards. "Find him. Bring him here. This disobedience will not be tolerated."</p>
<p>There was only one answer she could give, so she gave it, bowing her head. "Yes, my lord." </p>
<p>As she left, she fumed. Loki was always so rebellious. Why couldn't he just do as he was told and make life easier for everyone? </p>
<p>Just thinking the thought made her shake her head at herself, because of course he couldn't.</p>
<p>She rode her motorcycle to his house to start the search. It was a small place, a bit ramshackle, but she knew it had a glorious view of the city lights. She smelled candles and knew he was home, and knocked on the door. There was no reply, but that was not unexpected. </p>
<p>The door was open and she went in, calling. "Loki!" </p>
<p>The drapes were all open for the view but he was not in the main room. There were paintings on every wall, textiles, pottery, metalwork - every artistic thing he'd dabbled in for the last few years, had been piled up without art or even much care, as he pursued the next project.</p>
<p>But this, she knew, was the fallout of finding out his clan was not as he'd been told. That he was the get of Laufey of Jotnar, and not Odin's at all. So he'd taken to Jotnar tradition with a vengeance - pleasures of mind and body, art, music, whatever he fancied. Which was not, if she was fair, all <em>that </em>much different than the Loki of before, who had spent two centuries puttering about in scientific experimentation, but at least he'd acknowledged Aesir ambition. Now he pretended he didn't have any, while thumbing his nose at Odin. She sometimes wondered why he didn't leave the city altogether.</p>
<p>"Loki!" she called, and got no answer. In her search she moved close enough to the back door to see a shadow on the balcony and slid the glass door open. "You heard me," she accused, stepping outside. </p>
<p>He was standing before a large canvas, wearing a robe, and his hair in long loose waves on his shoulders. "I did. I knew you would find me." </p>
<p>"I was sent by Odin." </p>
<p>That got his attention and he flicked silver-green eyes at her as she crowded closer. "Oh? What for?" </p>
<p>Why was she suddenly having a hard time finding words? His dressing gown had a deep v-neck and he wasn't wearing a shirt beneath it, so all she could see was pale skin in the light of the moon and the city beyond, and shadows of his throat and collar bones. Her fingers itched to touch him, and she had to force herself to look away. She cleared her throat. She had an order to fulfill. She did not need to be thinking about what Loki slept in or or how late he slept or if he was wearing anything beneath that. Just because she hadn't seem him look look so casually rumpled was no reason to forget her business. "Conclave started half an hour ago."</p>
<p>He was not at all alarmed and flicked the brush at the canvas to make little dots. "I thought that was tomorrow night." </p>
<p>"Did you?"</p>
<p>His grin was bright and quick in the darkness. "No, but that's what I'll tell him." </p>
<p>So he'd known and refused to attend on purpose. She sighed. "Loki. Why? Why make him angry?"</p>
<p>He shrugged. "Why not?" </p>
<p>"Because he could hurt you? You push and push-- if you push too hard, you know you'll both regret it."</p>
<p>"It's not my fault Aesir are prideful beasts who can't hold their temper. Present company excluded." Then he reconsidered, no doubt remembering the many occasions she'd lost her temper with him over the years, and added,  "Most of the time." </p>
<p>She valiantly did not sigh again. "Put that away, and come make your apologies and attend the Conclave."</p>
<p>He groaned. "Only because it's you, Sif." He put his brush in the cleaning fluid, and swept back into the house. "Wait here." </p>
<p>He disappeared to the back room he used to house his clothes and emerged in decent time in all black, trim suit. "Very nice," she whistled. "Where did you get it? Did you buy it?"</p>
<p>He smiled. "Of course not. People give me things." </p>
<p>Her eyes narrowed. "Did you glamour someone for it?"
</p>
<p>He stuck out his lip, pouting. "You say that as if it's such a bad thing. You do it, too."</p>
<p>"Not to get a designer suit!" </p>
<p>He huffed a laugh. "Do you have any idea how many times Odin sent me to glamour humans into giving me whatever he wanted? He pays for hardly anything." </p>
<p>She was a little shocked by that, after all the commands to buy things properly to keep the Masquerade in place, but then shrugged. "He's King of the City. It's his rule to break."</p>
<p>"Well, that's convenient, isn't it?" </p>
<p>She wanted to point out that he was the one who had forfeited power by diving headfirst into the debauched Jotnar lifestyle, but bit her lip. It hadn't been a revelation he'd wanted and poking at that was just cruel. Prince of the City to Jotnar Representative at the Conclave wasn't <em>supposed </em>to be a demotion, but it very much was in the eyes of others. That Odin still acted as if Loki's place was the same was proof of his lingering affection and Thor's friendship, not because it really was the same.</p>
<p>And of course, by making Odin angry at him, he was risking that much as well. 
"Come on. Let's not make it worse."</p>
<p>He rolled his eyes but followed her out the door. </p>
<p>They took his sleek black BMW, and he drove to Odin's estate higher in the hills. The massive gate rolled aside at Loki's approach and they drove up the familiar drive to the circular drop-off in front of the main doors. To her surprise, she saw a few of the cars had gone. Conclave must be over already. </p>
<p>"I can see how important it was," Loki observed dryly, echoing her thoughts as he pulled up behind Thor's Ferrari and parking.</p>
<p>On the way in, they passed Hogun, heading out. The Vanir clan representative gave a chill nod to her companion and a friendlier greeting to her, "Evening, Sif." </p>
<p>Vanir tended to be enforcers and guards - good in physical combat - but rarely good at the mental powers of the Aesir. They also tended to think of themselves as higher in status than the Jotnar, and only a few years ago he would have spoken more politely and with rank.</p>
<p>Loki didn't respond at all, ignoring him completely, as he passed. </p>
<p>There were others milling about in post-Conclave schmoozing, and she saw Thor with some slight brunette mortal - maybe a mortal companion? - but he stirred himself enough to wave and point toward Odin's office. </p>
<p>She knocked on the door. "It's Sif." </p>
<p>The door opened silently of its own seeming accord, to allow her and Loki to enter. The office was a large room lined with bookshelves, and a wide window with a similar view to Loki's balcony. A heavy wooden desk stood between them and him, a big throne-like chair, and the much smaller chairs next to the wall by the door. </p>
<p>"My king, I have brought Loki, as requested." </p>
<p>"So I see," he said, lifting his head to fix Loki with a glare from his single blue eye. "Why did you not attend the called Conclave?"</p>
<p>Loki shrugged. "Since it's already over, it couldn't have been that important," Loki returned. Inwardly she winced, bracing herself. </p>
<p>"Its <em>importance </em>was chosen, by me, and you obey. Or I will know the reason why." </p>
<p>"I thought it was tomorrow."</p>
<p>The excuse flew no better with him than it had with her, but for a different reason. </p>
<p>"You <em>thought</em>! You were mistaken. You pay no attention to anything but frivolities! It is a <em>disgrace</em>," Odin bit out. </p>
<p>"Well, I'm sure I don't know what else you can expect from one of the hedonist Jotnar," Loki answered in poisonous mockery. "What did you say again? They think only for themselves and their pleasures?" </p>
<p>"And risk us all," Odin said. "You were <em>seen."</em></p>
<p>Loki seemed genuinely confused. "By whom? Doing what? I've scarcely left my house in three days, so I have no idea what you're--" </p>
<p>Odin stood up, slamming his hands on the tabletop. "YOUR ART IS IN A GALLERY." </p>
<p>Sif turned to him in shock. In a gallery? Obviously a mortal gallery. For sale? For notice?</p>
<p>"Oh. That." He hesitated and his lips made a little bitter smile. "See, that's why I didn't tell you."
</p>
<p>"Because you knew I would be angry."</p>
<p>"Well, I certainly knew you wouldn't be proud." Odin straightened sharply as if Loki had stuck him with a dagger. Loki's smile thinned. "I sold three pieces. A nice write-up in Art Times. It was quite a success." </p>
<p>"Loki! You didn't tell me?" Sif asked in dismay and hurt.</p>
<p>"Of course not," he answered, "because you'd scurry off to <em>him</em>," he gestured to Odin, "and we can see exactly how pleased he is." She opened her mouth to complain that he was being unfair, but said nothing, realizing to her shame he was probably right.</p>
<p>"Your action threatens us all," Odin declared tightly.</p>
<p>"It threatens no one," Loki countered. "It's art. One gallery of hundreds. A name no one knows. I was the only Kin there, and I promise I didn't do anything more strange than anyone else who was there." </p>
<p>"This breaks the--"</p>
<p>"Nothing, it breaks nothing," Loki insisted, his calm starting to fray. "It's ordinary. I'm ordinary compared to some mortal artists. The mortals don't care. They like that I'm odd." </p>
<p>"Your behavior of late has grown reckless," Odin started severely, realizing his attempted chastisement was having no effect. But Loki was not having it.</p>
<p>"What does it <em>matter</em>!" Loki shouted back. "I'm not Aesir; I'm Jotnar. I always have been." </p>
<p>"Because you are my blood!" Odin bellowed back, the glass in his hand shattering to bits under his grip. They both, plus Sif standing in frozen dismay, started at the sound, but it seemed to calm them both down as a silence fell.</p>
<p>"What... what does that mean?" Loki asked, more quietly. "I'm Laufey's get, you told me as much when you admitted my clan lineage. So what are you talking about?"</p>
<p>Odin inhaled a deep breath and wiped the spilled  blood on his hand and desk with a napkin, gathering his words. "It is true. Your mother - your birth mother Hela - was my trueborn daughter."  Loki stared at him in shock, and Sif felt it as well. How had they never known this? </p>
<p>Odin continued, "She would have died birthing you, but I turned her. You were adopted by a mortal family. Later, in a dispute, she ... killed Laufey's Prince Helblindi, and in retaliation Laufey took you and turned you."</p>
<p>Loki sank down in the nearest chair, white-faced, and Sif crept near from the wall to offer her hands on his shoulders. He leaned back into her. "I don't remember any of this..." he whispered.</p>
<p>"No, you wouldn't. You were a fledgling, and he let you starve. He staked you in the sun." </p>
<p>Sif gasped in horror. The full sun would kill one of their Kin, but a starving fledgling who hadn't finished the turn, would burn slowly. It was torture.</p>
<p>"Hela had not thought of you in years, I think," Odin admitted, "But when she learned you were taken, she invaded Jotunheim alone for you. You were dying, so she gave you her own blood to be sure you would survive." </p>
<p>"Why didn't you tell me this?" Loki asked, sounding so confused and lost her heart ached. </p>
<p>But Sif knew. "Because Loki went feral after that, didn't he? Blood rage." Too much Kin blood could make the fledgling unable to regain control. "That's why you don't remember." </p>
<p>Odin nodded slowly, with a deep heaviness of the revelation. "In part. It was not your fault," he told Loki. "You knew no better, enmeshed in your hunger and the torture they had inflicted, but you and Hela went together and burned the Jotnar compound to the ground. There were many human losses, and I feared more. You both had to be stopped. She was killed, and I had to erase it all from your mind to return you to sanity." </p>
<p>For a long moment there was silence. Odin's shoulders slumped and the weight of his many years bowed him down with regret. "You were ... all I had left of my human days," he said finally. "So I claimed you as my clan. Which you are. My blood runs in you twice-over, Loki, more than that Jotnar's ever did. But human descendants are not the way of Kin, nor did I want you to be a target again, which was why I kept the truth to myself." </p>
<p>Loki's hands trembled as they passed over his face and into his hair. Finally he looked up, and his voice was uneven. "So you're my ... my grandfather? Really?"</p>
<p>Odin nodded once. "I am." </p>
<p>Loki swallowed hard. "That's why you hated it when I started to show more Jotnar attributes." </p>
<p>Odin looked away, shame-faced. "I ... did not like to think that monster's blood was so strong, and mine so weak. But of course interest in art and science are not exclusively Jotnar, and I was unfair to tell you only part of the truth. You are my clan, my blood- those things are true, Loki. Your interests are your own, and I will not interfere. If," he pronounced more sternly until Loki met his gaze, "you remember to come to Conclave when summoned." </p>
<p>"I will," Loki answered, after a moment, still trying to put all the pieces together.</p>
<p>"Remain as long as you like. Sleep in your old room if you need to." He stood up. "Sif, thank you." </p>
<p>"My king." </p>
<p>"Who else knows?" Loki asked abruptly before Odin got to the door. </p>
<p>"Only Heimdall and Frigga, who helped me with you." He knew what Loki was really asking. "Not Thor." Loki nodded, and Odin turned back. "Oh, Loki, never believe you do not have Aesir  power. In your blood rage, you certainly did. You can do -- and be -- whoever you choose to be in all the years that remain to you." </p>
<p>He slipped out and shut the door quietly behind him, leaving Loki and Sif in the silence. </p>
<p>"Are you all right?" she asked finally, When he didn't answer right away, she let her hand rise up into his hair, carding the raven waves in her fingers. </p>
<p>"I think so?" he answered finally and looked up at her. "It's a lot to take in. But I feel better. For awhile I didn't know. who I was supposed to be. But now I know. It fits."</p>
<p>It seemed he was speaking truly, even in small things like his posture and the clarity in his eyes as they met hers. Something had changed in him, and she could not look away. She didn't want to either, suddenly recalling how he'd looked on the balcony. "It does," she agreed. "You've always been both, and now you know why." She sat across his lap. He started and then a smile spread lazily.</p>
<p>"Ah, I see. Aesir do enjoy power, and now you know the truth, too," he said. </p>
<p>There was probably some truth to that, she had to admit to herself at least. Knowing he was Odin's direct line after all, and arguably his heir, was very appealing. But that wasn't what she was interested in right this moment. She flicked her hand in dismissal. "Power. Inheritance. Whatever. This suit is driving me mad. It looks so good on you." </p>
<p>He laughed softly. "Perhaps I'm not the only one with secret Jotnar blood." </p>
<p>Leaning closer to him to let her breath feather his skin, she whispered, "Perhaps some things are simply irresistible." She caressed the buttery wool of the shoulders and slipped her hands beneath the coat to the silk shirt beneath. </p>
<p>"Some are," he agreed, looking into her eyes deeply enough everything within fluttered with anticipation. </p>
<p>Long fingers cradled her face and she had the impression he was memorizing her face before he leaned in to touch his lips to hers. Questioning at first, he was seeking her response, and she gave it most enthusiastically.</p>
<p>One of his hands pulled out the clip keeping her hair in a tail to free it for his fingers. "So beautiful," he murmured against her skin, and she had to kiss him again for that. </p>
<p>They might have sat there all night, except a loud knock on the door startled them like guilty children, and Thor called, "Loki! Are you in there?" </p>
<p>She scrambled off his lap as the door handle turned, but hadn't moved away before he was inside. Bright blue eyes skipped from one to the other, reading immediately what was going on, and he grinned. "Never mind. Carry on." </p>
<p>He pulled the door closed again, chortling to himself, and Loki groaned and looked up at the ceiling. "We can probably kill him together. "</p>
<p>She laughed, but raised her hands to his shoulders and then slid them to twine behind his neck and into his hair, so much more curly than her own. "That's the prince I remember. Welcome home." </p>
<p>
  <em> end. </em>
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